Cameroon: A health facility burnt in Kikaikelaki-Kumbo amidst gun battle between armed Separatists and Cameroon Military
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On Monday morning, 1 March 2021, the Ambazonian fighters and Cameroon military reportedly had a gun battle at Kikaikelaki, a locality in Kumbo, the Northwest region of the Cameroon. it is worthy to note that Mondays are observes as ghost towns as was declared by the outlawed Anglophone Consortium in 2016 till date.
As a result of gun exchange between Cameroon soldiers and Ambazonian fighters in the area, the inhabitants evacuated the place for safety while others were indoors. Report indicates that it was during the gun exchange that the health facility with reasonable quantity of primary health care materials was set ablaze.
Unfortunately, there was no one around to intervene and put the fire off
The building is located around St. Augustine College Junction in Kumbo. No one has claimed responsibility for the act which is in gross violation of the rules of engagement and a breach to the International Human Rights and Humanitarian Law. Reports indicates that the fire could have been because of continuous shooting directly at the building by the soldiers after the gun exchange with Ambazonian fighters (that the building, which they thought, is the hide out for the fighters). Accordingly, it is also believe by some inhabitants that the fire may have occurred because of gun exchange around the premises. Mimi Mefo Info has blamed the military for the act “after the gunshots last night, probably between separatists and soldiers, this morning, soldiers began to randomly shoot the building believing that it’s a hideout for separatists. Their bullets ignited the flames”
Health Facilities are protected objects during war. The destruction of health facility during constitutes war crimes. At the time of this report, HRLRC cannot independently states who committed that act but we are following the case up.
Berinyuy Cajetan is the founder and publisher of Human Rights and Legal Research Centre (HRLRC) since 2017. He has intensive experience in strategic communications for Civil Society Organizations, campaign and advocacy, and social issues. He has an intensive experiencing in human rights monitoring, documentation and reporting.
